Sound the Bugle
by Deja Vu 22
Summary: Gabriel returned to Heaven at Balthazar's prodding to help Cassy. They were too late. With the Purgatory souls tainting what once was Castiel, he was the newest big bad. Gabriel manages to stop him, but only because he wanted to be stopped. There's no killing him, unless they want to unleash the Purgatory souls over the world. So he is kept in Heaven's prison. Just another killer.
1. Like Lucifer

Sound the Bugle

* * *

 **A/N: This is a 2 part short story that I cooked up real quick. I'll post the second part on Friday, unless if I get an overwhelming amount of people asking for more (Yeah, like _that's_ going to happen). I recommend listening to Sound the Bugle by Bryan Adams. It's the song that inspired this, especially Melissa Swanson's Sound the Bugle - Castiel (MINNCON WINNER). This takes part in the very beginning of season 7, with Godstiel, and then does a small time skip. Maybe a few years later. In this, Gabriel and Balthazar managed to fake their deaths, but they aren't sitting out anymore. Any questions, comments or reviews are very welcome. **

**Also, I don't own Supernatural. Thank God. Enjoy!  
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* * *

"No. There is no way that Castiel could have done this." Balthazar defended his brother immediately after getting over his shock of the sight before him.

"Yet it was him. I saw it with my own eyes." Hester replied with a detached voice that made Gabriel's skin crawl. Was this reaction the only thing keeping her from breaking down completely?

"Well, you're obviously wrong! Maybe you should get your eyes checked, sister." Balthazar's scathing tone bit past Hester's thin mask and pulled a harsh flinch from her.

"Balthazar, enough." Gabriel was surprised to hear the same coldness that Hester sported in his own reprimand. "This isn't Hester's fault." His head hung low as he beheld the charred wings of his brothers and sisters beneath his feet. The bodies that covered the ground of the eternal Tuesday of an autistic man's Heaven amassed into the hundreds. "We all know who really did this. And I'll be sure to kill him myself."

"I just... I can't believe he did this. I can't see Cassy doing something like this." Balthazar's anger faded into surprise and confusion, which could only lead to painful realization and misery.

"Our brother is dead, Balth. Now it's up to us to destroy his murderer.

"Gabriel..." There it was. The break in Balthazar's voice; the broken expression and anguish.

"He tried to kill you, Balthazar. He doesn't deserve your defense. He doesn't deserve our mercy. All he deserves is righteous retribution for the slaughter of our brethren. Castiel will die."

Balthazar nodded firmly, but his eyes were wet and he was forced to look away as a glint of a tear trailed silently down his cheek. Gabriel only wished he could cry for his fallen siblings, Cassy included. But he felt strangely empty inside.

* * *

Gabriel landed in a puddle of something suspiciously warm and sticky, hearing the viscous blood squelch under his feet. Any other time, and he would have complained about getting it on his shoes, but nothing could distract him from the _thing_ in front of him. It was wildly clear that any trace of the Castiel Gabriel had known had been ground into dust and replaced by the monster in front of him. The usually bright light of an angel's grace was tainted with the thousands of souls from Purgatory and was now a disgusting pulsing purplish black color that was reminiscent of Lucifer's grace when Gabriel had last seen him. Castiel's raven black wings were disintegrating under the power that he held; sparse amounts of feather barely covering the bloody bones underneath. His vessel didn't look much better.

Castiel finished with the person hanging several feet off the floor in his hands before acknowledging Gabriel; a sickening crack ringing in Gabriel's ears as their neck snapped and they fell with a loud thud to the floor. Castiel stared down at the teenager for a moment before rolling his head to look at Gabriel with a mad look in his eyes, utter glee on his features that came close to terrifying the archangel.

"Are you here to kill me, Brother? Because that won't end well for you." His voice was higher than usual, with sadistic joy illuminating Castiel's generally expressionless face in a sick light. His bright blue eyes had deepened into a near black and dulled to resemble those of the dead. "But you know that. You saw what happened to the disobedient angels, right?."

"You are no brother of mine." Gabriel said.

"That's too bad." He actually sounded regretful, the sick bastard. "Then what am I?"

"A monster." Gabriel answered blandly. "I mean, have you looked in the mirror recently?"

Castiel scowled. "Have you been talking to the Winchesters again? Don't you remember what happened last time you did that?"

"I seem to recall saving the world from a power hungry Lucifer. In fact, right now seriously feels like deja vu."

"I am nothing like Lucifer." Came his quiet reply.

"No, really. The resemblances are stunning. Your grace is just as tainted as his is."

"NO! What I'm doing is for the good of everyone! Lucifer rebelled because he didn't like the humans! I- I'm doing this to save the humans! I'm doing this to save everyone, especially the angels!" Desperation colored his voice, a desperation for Gabriel to see his intentions.

Throat suddenly dry, Gabriel managed to ask quietly, "Can you see what you have become, Castiel?"

"I have become a God! And not just a faint imitation of one like you did when you went off to join those pagans, or what Lucifer did with the demons! I have become an even better God than Father!"

"No. You haven't. You've become something _worse_ than Lucifer."

Silence strangled Gabriel for minutes as Castiel stared him down.

"Why are you here, Gabriel?" Castiel finally asked in a low voice.

"I came to stop you."

"Why?"

"So you wouldn't do anything else that you would regret when you finally snap out of this." It wasn't what Gabriel had initially been planning when he came here. It was true, he was so absorbed by rage that he had been raring to kill Castiel as soon as possible, no matter the risks. But... maybe there _was_ still a Castiel to be saved. A Castiel of good intentions buried beneath power and betrayal; drowning in it.

Castiel raised a hand, poised to snap, and Gabriel knew this was the deciding moment. If he was wrong, he could be very well cease to exist in the next second.

He dropped his hand as he fell to his knees and stared up at Gabriel with big blue eyes welling up with tears of self-hatred and intense suffering. "Please. Stop me." He choked out, laughing sadly with giant wracking sobs interrupting the broken grateful laughter.

* * *

"What is this place?" Dean glanced around at the white Heavenly walls that was on the cusp of being painful to look at and got a dreadful feeling in the pit of his stomach as he observed the bars that blocked cells from the outside world and got a feeling he already knew where exactly in Heaven they were.

Hester (or at least, that's what Dean thought she was called) glanced back at him disinterestedly before replying with a tone that made it clear how stupid a question she thought it was. "Heaven's prison."

"And why are we in Heaven's prison? You told us Gabriel wanted to talk with us about Abbadon."

"He does. This is the shortest route to his office."

Sam snorted. "Gabriel with an office?"

She sighed in agreement before adding, "Office being a loosely used term."

Dean was still stuck on them being in _Heaven's jail._ "Why is the shortest route to Gabriel's office through the jail? Why can't you just zap us there."

She scowled at him and turned her nose up slightly. Snootily, she said, "I hardly think a _human_ like you would be ale to understand the series of complex equations necessary to explain the metaphysics of Heaven."

Dean huffed but stayed silent as they continued out of the prison section to Gabriel's office.

"Deano. Samsquatch. Can't really say I'm that happy to see you two again." Gabriel greeted from

"Believe me, the sentiment is returned tenfold." Dean replied.

"Bit overeager, aren't you there big boy? Hey Samster. How are you doing? Looks like the mane has added a few more inches."

Sam gave one of his perfected bitch faces, the one Dean had labeled as _'Selected for the specific use of when Gabriel is being immature'_. "Let's get to why we're here." Sam said.

"Right. Abbadon. Well, the prissy cat always had a bit of a fiery disposition..."

* * *

Matters on the newest Hell-threat resolved, Sam turned to the question that had been on his mind since they had entered Heaven.

"What type of people does Heaven keep in its jail?"

Dean made a show of rolling his eyes at his nerdy brother but found himself also curious.

Gabriel's shoulders stiffened slightly but relaxed so quickly that Sam wasn't sure he saw it at all and Dean missed it entirely. "Well, Sambo, jails usually house bad people that do bad things to keep them away from the innocents like yourself and Deano." Gabriel patronized them in the tone you would use to talk to a three year old. Sam glared at Gabriel until the archangel relented. "Mostly, they're angels that committed large sins. Gadreel, Abner, angels like them that needed to be punished rather than 'corrected'."

"Why wasn't Lucifer kept here then?" No one mentioned the flinch that jerked Sam's body at the sound of his torturer's name coming from Dean's lips.

"Uh, der, because he's an archangel, genius. He's too powerful for any cage other that THE Cage. Not to mention that he's the Deceiver and could easily sway some of his followers to break him out and start another war. And..." Gabriel took on an air of melancholy that was uncharacteristic of the former Trickster. "I'm beginning to think it was also for Michael too. For all of us. So that we wouldn't keep trying to go to him and help him get better, change him back into what he used to be. So Michael wouldn't continuously torture himself day in and day out by forcing himself to see what became of the brother he loved so much, that he imprisoned."

There was an awkward silence that lasted too long before Sam cleared his throat and made a show of collecting up the new lore book Gabriel had collected for them.

It broke Gabriel out of his stupor and he grinned. "So how did you dunces find out about our little prison anyhow?"

They glanced at each other before Dean shrugged and answered. "That Heather angel brought us in through there."

All of the blood drained from Gabriel's face, leaving him frightfully pale. "Hester led you into Heaven's jail?"

"...Yes?" Dean answered uncertainly, disconcerted by Gabriel's reaction.

"And you didn't see him?" Gabriel wouldn't meet their eyes now.

"What? Who?" Sam asked.

Gabriel shook his head and it looked like he was going to brush off the questions until Sam interjected again. "Gabe. What's wrong?"

They could see his Adam's apple bob and he swallowed, meeting their eyes with a colder expression than they were used to seeing in those amber eyes. "Follow me." Gabriel jerked his head towards the door and led the way. Sam and Dean had no choice but to follow.

* * *

They once again entered the prison, this time with a tense atmosphere of questions. Gabriel led them down the winding pathways. As they traveled, a resonant ringing that was barely on the edges of the humans' senses grew louder to the point that they could identify it as singing. A beautiful voice echoed through the hallways, sad not because of the words that they could not yet hear, but because of the emotions buried deeply in the voice that dare utter them in such a depressing place.

As they drew even nearer, it became clear that the voice was not murmuring English, but almost humming words that could only be the angelic language of Heaven. But Dean wasn't focusing on the singing. The turmoil in his own mind was too loud for that.

Sam faltered to a stop. It took Dean several steps to realize that his brother was no longer beside him because of how wrapped up in his own self-destructive thoughts he was at the moment. When he turned with a scathing remark along the lines of 'hurry up princess', the words died on his throat. A Heavenly glow was surrounding Sam, light dancing around him playfully and comfortingly, pulsing in response to the deep angelic voice that echoed in the hallways. Sam watched it with a child-like curiosity and wonder, looking more at ease than he had for years. Hesitantly, wary of scaring the light away, he reached out to it. It gathered around his hand happily, and when he cupped his hands, it pooled into them where it cast a gentle light on his face.

Dean looked back at Gabriel -who had also turned to watch the light with a sad fondness- for an explanation.

"If you've ever wondered what it's like for an angel to sing, this is it Sambo." Gabriel chuckled.

"It's beautiful."

"It's the closest you can get to seeing an angel's true form without getting your eyes deep fried." He explained, which caused the Winchesters to glance up at him in surprise and then look even closer at the light pooling in the younger's palms. Gabriel allowed them to look without interruption for a minute or so. "It looks like he's doing well today. Come on guys." With that, he urged them forwards. Sam dropped his hands and the light continued its dance around him before leaping to Dean and swirling around him. Dean felt something akin to joy blossoming in his chest just from the proximity and was glad when it followed him further in, finding himself unwilling to give up the small comfort the light gave.

When Gabriel stopped at a cell and turned to look in it, the humming emanating from the cell, the thing that surprised Dean was that he _wasn't_ surprised by what he saw the voice belonged to.

Cas's humming continued for several seconds, his eyes closed and such a peaceful look on his face that Dean was reluctant to disturb it. Especially considering how that same face had been covered in blood with a maniacal expression last time Dean had seen him. He made no acknowledgement that he had heard their approach other than a small quirk at the edge of his lips, looking out of place in a prison cell but totally at home on Cas.

Cas allowed the song to die off slowly. Only when the last sounds were echoing in the corridor did he speak. "Hello Dean." His eyes drifted open and immediately caught Dean's own in that magnificent blue. _Thank God_ it was still blue.

"Hey Cas." Dean managed to say past the lump in his throat.

"Sam. You're looking well." Cas directed the gaze to the younger.

"Good to see you, Cas."

"Wow bro. I know your smitten with the Idiots of Flannel, but couldn't you at least spare me a glance?"

"We see each other every day, Gabriel. While I _am_ glad to have your company, I also find that certain company, namely yourself and Balthazar, can become tiresome without others nearby to balance out your excitable personalities." The twinkle in Cas's eye made it clear it was a joke despite his straight face and level voice.

"Well shit, Cas. Did you just burn Gabriel _politely_?" Dean laughed. Gabriel's scowl deepened before breaking into a mischievous grin. Dean was sure that he should expect payback in some form in the near future.

"I believe so."

And then the pleasantries were over, leaving only awkward silence.


	2. Godstiel

"Didn't realize you could sing like that, Cas." Dean finally muttered.

"It was beautiful." Sam added eagerly.

A dry laugh. "Evidently you've never heard a real angel's song. This... broken voice of mine is a poor imitation."

"Sounded pretty amazing to me."

"I was far from amazing, even before… everything."

Sam and Dean exchanged glances. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Hell fire. The smoke burned his vocal chords. Several angels lost the ability to speak during the siege on Hell." Gabriel answered when it became clear that Castiel didn't mean to specify. The glare that Cas shot him could kill.

Cas was injured in Hell? Honestly, Dean had never even considered that the trip to save the Righteous Man had been dangerous and painful, but of course it had. That was just the luck that Cas and Dean had.

Sam cleared his throat, pulling Dean out of the depressive thoughts the mention of Hell had brought up. "You mentioned other angels. Do all angels know how to sing like that?" His eyes flicked to Gabriel as he said it, the unspoken question clear in his eyes.

Once again, the edge of Cas's mouth tilted up slightly. "Before Lucifer fell and wars broke out, angels would pass time by singing. Lucifer's voice was beautiful, of course, but I always especially enjoyed hearing Gabriel." He turned to the archangel specifically, who was looking a bit stunned by the revelation. "You always sang with such joy. I didn't realize it back then, but your playfulness gave new life to songs that I had heard thousands of times. I actually enjoyed your ad libbing greatly."

Gabriel chuckled. "You know, at first glance, most people wouldn't take you as one of the ones in family with the trickster gene. But I guess they only need to look at the company you keep to know the truth, huh?"

Castiel glanced at the occupants of the area and rolled his eyes in reply.

Another, more comfortable, silence broke out to be broken by Cas sighing and glancing up at Dean through the bars. "I thought you would be angrier." He said quietly.

That raised a good point. Why _wasn't_ Dean angry at Cas? He broke the world. He killed hundreds of humans, broke Sam's wall, threatened the Winchesters. What could be worse than that? He should be trying to kill the angel -if they could even call him that anymore- without hesitation.

"I thought you were dead." Dean replied. It didn't really have any pertinence to Cas's unspoken question, but it was the best he could come up with.

"You should keep thinking that."

The flippant reply caught Dean off guard and he took a step back. "What?"

Cas closed his eyes and rested his head against the wall in response. It soon became clear that he was 'dismissing' them.

"Cas?" Sam asked.

"It was good to see you two."

Ah, _there_ was the anger. "You think you can just dismiss us like you're Prince Joffrey, Asshole? No. You've killed too many people, screwed up too much shit to have _any_ right to tell us what to do! That whole Purgatory stunt lost you any respect and rights you had, so if Sam and I ask you a question, you answer! Did I make that clear?"

"Dean..." Sam started, but allowed any argument he was about to say fade off at Dean's dangerous glare.

Slowly, Castiel's eyes opened. His shoulders had taken on a new stiffness as he rose slowly to his feet. He didn't meet Dean's eyes until he had stood fully, instead focusing steadily on the floor beneath his feet with a completely stone-cold expression.

Dean registered a quiet "Aw, shit," from Gabriel before he was paralyzed by Castiel's predatory gaze. No matter how he struggled, what he told his body to do, he couldn't even twitch a finger to avoid the deadly glare. Irrational terror shot through Dean as he remembered the last time he looked into these black eyes.

"You should show me some respect, human. My actions led to the defeat of Raphael and the averting of the apocalypse, even with your interference. Not only that, but the powers I gained from Purgatory allowed me to clean up the messes of _your_ pathetic species. I may have tolerated such brash words from you in the past, but no longer. You should be kneeling before me and professing your love unto me, rather than attempting to posture over one you will call God."

A weight, infinitesimal at first, began on Dean's shoulders and steadily increased in weight until it felt as if he was holding up a house. His knees started to shake and Dean was sure they would collapse if any more weight was added.

"Enough!" Gabriel's voice rang out, a touch of archangel shaking the very room. The weight and paralysis disappeared from Dean so quickly that he nearly collapsed. A quick glance at Sam confirmed that the younger Winchester had had the same fate. "Castiel. We've talked about this." He said in a chiding tone with a hint of steel.

"Be grateful that these bars suppress my power, brother. Otherwise, you would never get away that trick without... severe consequences."

Gabriel took Sam's shoulder and helped the Winchester shuffle towards the wall to lean on before returning for Dean and repeating the process. "I'm well aware, smartass. Hell, that cage could hold an archangel and you're still leaking." Gabriel retorted before pulling the two out of the 'god's' range of influence.

* * *

Sam barely managed to start breathing again before the questions surged out of his lips. "What just happened? I mean, one minute we were talking to Cas, and the next-" He was cut off by the need to pull more air into his lungs to replenish what was lost from Castiel's 'attack'.

"Whoa, calm down there Samwhich. Take a few breaths there. Last I heard, you humans still need air." Gabriel had an unconcerned smirk which oddly enough helped calm Sam's nerves slightly. He reasoned that it was because it proved Castiel's display of power was not problematic. Hopefully. Sam trained his gaze on Gabriel, waiting expectantly for an answer to his unfinished question as he focused on his breathing. Gabriel sighed loudly. "One minute it was Cassy, the next it was Godstiel, right?"

At the two confused glares sent Gabriel's way at the nickname, Gabriel veered off course to explain his reasoning behind the pretty inventive nickname (he was very proud). "You see, he keeps insisting I call him God, but the little powershake doesn't seem to realize how awkward it is for me to call my littlest brother a version of Daddy. So, compromise. Godstiel."

Sam rolled his eyes and prompted him to stay on track. "Gabriel."

"Alright, alright. I'll explain. As much as I can anyway. There isn't exactly a big fat tome I can look this stuff up in." Gabriel paused to collect his thoughts before continuing.

"That _was_ still Cassy that you were talking to. It wasn't Godstiel manipulating you. He's much too blatant for any underhand tricks like that. The angel you know is still in there under all the writhing souls of Purgatory. That's part of the reason why I brought him here rather than killing him or throwing him in another cage in Hell. Though, honestly, I don't really believe I had any shot against Godstiel with the way he was. If he hadn't just surrendered, I probably would have been blown into smithereens. Just 'pop'. Gone." Gabriel trailed off into a dark abyss of thoughts that should probably be avoided.

"So, Cas is back? He's in control again?" Dean asked with poorly concealed hopefulness.

"I wouldn't really say 'in control', Deano. I mean, I don't think Cassy made a habit of attempting to crush you whenever he got slightly angry."

"Yeah, what was that?" Sam broke between the fierce stare-down between the two. "That switch was so... quick and unexpected. It's almost like Multiple Personality Disorder or something."

Gabriel looked Sam over thoughtfully. "I'm not sure it's exactly the same thing, but yeah, the concept is the same. From what I can tell, Cassy has a fragile wall in his mind that protects him from the souls. But it's constantly under attack and breaks... a lot. When it does, the souls get too close to his grace and... influence his behavior, I guess."

"So it's the souls' fault?"

"Yes. Generally, an angel can take in several souls without a problem -don't give me that look- we are required to do it for several reasons other than power mongering. But the shear number of the Purgatory souls, as well as the more... animistic nature of those monsters, allowed the souls to break past defenses. Don't get me wrong, it's not like the souls are taking him over. Both 'personalities' are still Cassy at the wheel. One of them is just merged with the monsters you hunt. Obviously, this brings nothing good."

Dean slumped. "Cas was there the whole time? Underneath all the Purgatory souls? Drowning in them?"

Gabriel nodded. "'fraid so."

"And... we just gave up on him." Sam's voice was weak as it squeaked out of his throat and he cleared it self-consciously. Neither of the others seemed to notice, too enthralled in the same idea of giving up on Cas while he was still fighting.

"He's alive Sammy. He may be an asshole, and he's gonna get a serious ass-kicking for that stunt he pulled, but we can fix this."

"Not-" Gabriel started.

"-And I don't give a damn what Gabriel says. One way or another, we'll get him out of that cell. We'll ditch the Purgatory souls and defeat that bitch Abbadon's Hell Army, and then Team Free Will will have a sit down and talk about trusting demons."

"Oh, that's rich coming from you, Dean." Sam retorted before Gabriel had a chance to. He'd had to deal with two years of taunting about the apocalypse; no way was he letting Dean do the same thing to Cas, who would just take the blows without defending himself.

"Me?" His voice jumped an octave in response to the accusation. "I'm the only one of us that _hasn't_ consorted with demons."

"Sure. And you sold your soul to a leprechaun." Sam crossed his arms angrily.

"That's different, and you know it!"

"Guys! I love the peanut gallery as much as the next guy, but this is not the time or place." Gabriel interjected. "Little bro isn't leaving that cell any time soon. It was sealed shut and made permanent the moment he got here."

"What?" Dean growled lowly. "You locked your brother in there, and threw away the Goddamn key!?"

"I locked an insane monster with the power of several million nukes in Heaven's strongest cage and made it so he wouldn't be able to break out, no matter what."

"That's Cas in there!"

"Rarely."

"If we find a way to kick out the Purgatory souls, then it won't be a problem."

"If I had a year I couldn't list all the problems wrong with that plan. But, because I know how boneheaded you two knuckleheads can be, I'll name a few. One: any attempt Cas makes to access the souls, including trying to expel them, will just bring Godstiel around before we have any chance to try." Gabriel's index and middle finger rose. "Two: taking a dangerous nuke like Castiel out of the protection of Heaven _right now in full view of Abbadon and her minions_ , is a big no no. Can you imagine what would happen if that flaming tootsie got her hands on that power? Three: Heaven's power is part of what is helping Castiel keep the souls contained. Removing him from the wards I set up in that cell could be catastrophic. Four: he murdered thousands of angels and hundreds of humans. I cannot let him go wandering around without punishment. The angels wouldn't stand for it."

"Never knew you were a pushover, Gabriel." Dean challenged.

" _I_ wouldn't stand for it. Those were _my_ brothers and sisters he killed. I can't just forgive him for that, even if he _did_ used to be one of my favorites."

"Then why not just kill him?" The words were out of Sam's mouth before he knew he had muttered them. He barely managed not to cringe at the looks of shock the other two were giving him. Still, now that he had said it, he needed to defend his point. "Castiel is immortal. That means he's an eternal threat. If he's so dangerous, why not just end it like you told us you already had?"

"I was going to, Sam. I had my archangel blade in my hand. I was right behind him. I could have stabbed him in the back. But then I saw my little brother. You're right Dean. Cas _is_ still in there. Hell, you just talked to him. That's what makes this so much harder." A glance at Dean proved that he was unable to meet anyone's eyes, which suited Sam just fine because he felt the same. Gabriel was right. Killing Cas as he was now would be just as difficult as killing Dean if he were possessed by Michael, or Sam by Lucifer. 'For the greater good' didn't really cut it.

"Oh, also because Castiel is the only thing in between millions upon millions of souls of undead monsters -including the Leviathan, and let me tell you, those suckers are _so_ not fun- and if he explodes and dies, they get unleashed upon the world. So, that's another reason I couldn't shove my pig sticker in what was left of his heart."

Sam sighed at Gabriel's nonchalant tone. No doubt, the dismissive delivery of another bomb shell had pissed Dean off again. He glanced at his older brother. Yep, there was that scowl that was designated specifically for Gabriel.

"So, what do we do?" Sam asked after a long silence stretched on. He found himself wishing for the comforting light of Castiel's voice to once again fill the hallways.

"Nothing. Not you two anyway. Like I said, Castiel's problem is unprecedented. But Balthazar and I are working on it. All you two can do is deal with the problems on Earth like you always have. Saving people. Hunting things. The family business. Castiel is our problem for now."

Sam was unable to meet Gabriel's golden gaze. "Can we say goodbye, then?" He asked before Dean had a chance to protest. The older Winchester glared at the wall but stayed quiet, nodding in silent agreement.

"You can always try."

* * *

 **A/N: Before you get worried, no, this is not the last chapter. I know I said it would only be two but... the more the merrier, I guess. Hopefully there's only three, otherwise I might have trouble finishing it. I should be able to get it up sometime during the weekend. The next chapter should have the actual resolving dialog between Sam, Cas and Dean.**

 **PLEASE TELL ME HOW I DID. It's sorta discouraging when I only get one review. Thank you so much bookwriter123456 for that review. It made me very happy. And also thanks to the people who followed and favorited this. I hope it's living up to expectations so far.**

 **Any requests/suggestions/critiques/reviews are very welcome**


	3. Remember how I used to be

**A/N: So... _this_ is probably the chapter you should listen to Sound the Bugle by Bryan Adams. _This_ is the chapter where it all goes down. Enjoy.**

* * *

Dean and Sam filtered back into the cell area, both of them noting the dank, ominous air that contrasted the cell's earlier calm tranquility.

Gabriel took a few wider steps to walk directly behind them, his mouth hovering just below their ears (Dean felt the irrational urge to laugh at the height difference, but quelled it because this obviously wasn't the time or place). "Looks like the Godstiel is still in charge. You boys might not get the tearful conversation you are hoping for." The archangel muttered.

"Good. I want a word with him too." Dean didn't bother to lower his voice. Sam scowled at Dean, but Gabriel chuckled, his warm breaths of air tickling Dean's neck.

"Just don't provoke him too much, Deano. The cage is strong, but his power tends to... gush out... when he's angry."

Dean nodded. And then they were upon the cell.

Godstiel was sitting on the stone bench stiffly with no movement, but he hardly looked peaceful. His eyes were staring straight ahead but saw nothing, enthralled only on the things going on in his own head. This opened a passage _into_ the would-be-God, if anyone bothered to look hard enough. Locking on Godstiel's eyes, Dean opened his mouth to throw out a witty comment, but stopped in his tracks upon what he saw hidden behind those eyes. A disfigured, sick parody of the Heavenly light that had first greeted them swirled restlessly pulsed cruelly behind blue eyes so dark they were nearly black. Then Godstiel noticed their presence and the doors into his soul were slammed shut so abruptly the Dean was left stunned.

"Have you finished your conspiring, brother?" Godstiel asked, rising and approaching the bars with that completely stoic expression that barely masked the madness underneath.

"Yep. I think we're done scheming for the day. Though, Balthazar and I still have a bit more planning before our machinations regarding a certain power-crazy brother of ours reach a crescendo."

"Your constant wisecracks grow taxing, Gabriel. It's straining even _my_ infinite patience."

"Afraid you'll have to put up with it kiddo."

The bastard actually looked saddened by his next words that sent Dean's stomach roiling. "You've left me no choice Gabriel. Once I leave this cell, your disrespect will have to be punished."

"You're not leaving this cell anytime soon."

Godstiel finally noticed the other two occupants of the room. "The Winchesters obviously agree with that. Tell me, Dean, did you ever care for the well-being of anyone other than your brother? I have raised you from Hell, fought against the Apocalypse for you, surmounted insurmountable odds and beat an archangel in a civil war fought for _you._ And still, you help my enemies imprison me. Your friendship is fleeting, isn't it? I see now that I was simply a tool for you to abuse. And now that I'm off my leash, you fear me. Now that I have gained enough power to set everything right, you advocate for my death. Now that I have become a God, your facade of friendship has slipped."

Dean's mouth went dry. Gabriel had told them that this was still Cas. It wasn't a monster in Cas using these words to manipulate him. Somewhere, Cas really believed all that. Dean couldn't help but agree. He _had_ been a pretty shitty friend.

 _"I thought that you said that we were like family. Well I think that too."_

 _"I do everything that you ask. I always come when you call. And I am your friend."_

And Dean was just going to leave him locked up, like all the shit they had been through together didn't matter.

Sam shifted closer and subtly put a hand on Dean's bicep. A comfort, a solidity, a show of restraint and allowing Dean to take the charge.

"C'mon man. I mean, I know I've been a jerk recently, but the least you could do is talk to me without being hyped up on soul juice. I just want to talk. And I'm not going to talk to the you that's influenced by the Purgatory powershake. So you can dick off, asshat."

Godstiel looked amused at Dean's attempts. "You think my power has made me insane? That the old Castiel is just hiding beneath all these souls?" A dry chuckle that echoed in the cell. "Is that what Gabriel told you?"

Dean resisted the urge to glance back at Gabriel. He maintained his resolute stare into those black eyes, silently willing Cas to overcome the souls and rebuild the wall again, or whatever he did to become normal again.

"Gabriel and Balthazar are obsessed with the notion that the souls have tainted me. They are continuously trying to fix me. But the souls have merely opened my eyes to the injustices of this world. I'm not tainted, I'm enlightened."

"If you aren't tainted, then why the hell does your angel juice look like it went through an evil blender and back?" Dean jabbed.

 _That_ got the desired reaction. Godstiel took several steps back, physically reeling. His eyes flickered around the room then down his body, an almost horrified expression on his face as he looked inwards and saw the twisted thing that used to be grace that Dean had seen in his eyes.

"It- it's... an unfortunate side effect. Grace is weak... it- it's not strong enough to hold my power. I-" The words came fast and unsteady, desperate.

"Castiel." Gabriel brought the angel's attention to him, his face still screwed up in confusion and horror. Once the black eyes had met the archangel's gold ones, the archangel pulled his lips together and whistled a short tune that the Winchesters didn't recognize. Castiel stayed riveted to his spot, fixed on Gabriel without taking a breath. Gabriel waited a second, but when it became clear he wasn't going to respond yet, the archangel continued the song, this time allowing his voice out and singing Enochian words softly. He paused again and waited.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Castiel stirred. The unnatural stiffness seemed to bleed out of his shoulders. He softly, uncertainly spoke the next words. Gabriel nodded encouragingly and whistled again. Castiel seemed to be focusing on something inside himself, the only thing registering in the outside world was Gabriel's song. He stumbled the words out, his voice rough and gravelly and nothing like the angelic song they had heard earlier.

The light flooded back into his eyes suddenly, turning them into that radiant blue once again and Dean felt a wave of relief. The words drifted off just as Gabriel's whistling bounced its last echoes around the cell.

"You good, kiddo?" Gabriel's voice was soft and tender. So out of place on the Trickster God, but so _right_ on Cas's big brother.

Castiel nodded slowly and cleared his throat. "Thank you." His voice was rougher with what seemed like pain when he spoke, but he didn't comment on it.

"Hey Cas." Sam greeted again.

"Hello Sam. Dean." Cas turned to the Winchesters and approached the cell bars, being careful not to touch them.

"You had us worried there for a second." Sam said.

"I think it's about time I returned the favor." Cas said with his approximation of a smile gracing the edges of his lips.

Sam huffed out a laugh.

"Sam, I-"

"Please don't. It's over. Gabriel fixed it. Don't ruin this moment with it." Sam's eyes clouded with memories of pain as his wall came crashing down.

Cas nodded. "I just wanted to say that you're an amazing individual. And a great friend." Cas's hand twitched like he was planning on reaching out and clapping his hand on the giant's shoulder, like a friend. But the hand stayed by his side. Sam felt a rush of euphoria at Cas's words. Despite Dean's teasing that such an action may provoke, he felt the urge to hug the broken angel that stood before him. The bars stopped him from doing that, but it didn't stop him from reaching a hand out to provide some comfort in return for Cas's kind words.

Cas stepped away from the bars before Sam could touch him. He looked up at the younger Winchester sheepishly, apology clear on his face. "Touching probably isn't a good idea right now." He explained.

Sam nodded, crestfallen, and allowed his hand to drop.

"How you doing, Cas?" Dean asked.

"Well, between Gabriel, Balthazar and all the souls, it's never boring here."

Dean decided that hopeless joking didn't suit Cas. But he already knew that this was what Cas turned to when he didn't see a light at the end of the tunnel. The human Castiel from the apocalyptic future had shown him that. The irony in it all was that Cas was ending up the same way with too much power this time, rather than not enough.

"How are you really, Cas?" Dean pushed.

Cas sighed and looked away from Dean. "I'm as well as could be expected. Better actually. Gabriel could have thrown me in a cage in Hell next to Lucifer."

"I guess that's why his wings aren't deep fried in holy oil right about now."

Gabriel snorted but said nothing, recognizing that this conversation was for the Winchesters and Castiel only.

Cas snorted. Then he met Dean's eyes again with a look that conveyed the message a single word also managed to get across. "Dean."

"Cas, no. I'm not leaving before we talk alright?"

"Talk about what?" The resignation in the angel's voice was clear.

"Are you in pain, Cas?"

Dean saw the shock in the angel's eyes before they flicked away from Dean's and he answered, "No."

"Don't lie to me again, bastard." Dean's voice was soft despite his harsh words, but he still felt that anger curl up in his gut.

Cas flinched anyway. He glanced at Dean before his gaze flickered to the floor. "This is nothing that I don't deserve."

Dean cast his eyes to the Heavens and realized that he was already there and started chuckling morbidly to himself. He muttered something along the lines of "Damn sacrificial angel with a God complex" to himself.

Cas shuffled a bit closer, drawing Dean's attention back to him. The angel leaned on the wall of his cell, but didn't break eye contact. "You look tired, Dean."

The sighs were plentiful today. "That's because I _am_ tired."

"What world ending event is going on this time?" Cas asked tiredly. Dean got the impression of a maid, 'I just cleaned up this mess! Can you keep it clean for like... ten minutes?' Course, Cas had been the last apocalyptic event, which put a downer on that thought as well.

"Fairy uprising." Dean managed to reply sarcastically. Luckily, the angel was well-versed in Dean language and recognized it as a joke the second it left his mouth. Cas turned to Sam for a serious response.

The younger Winchester gave Dean a tired look and sighed. _And on the eighth day, God created sighing, and it was good._ "World's angriest ginger. A demon named Abbadon."

"The knight of Hell?"

"Yeah. She time traveled to the future from 1958, and -long story short- we met our grandfather."

The look of confusion on the angel's face made Dean have to strain to hold in his laugh. Cas managed to formulate a response, though it was hesitant, like he could barely figure out how to react to that. "That... sounds like quite a tale."

Dean couldn't help the snort that turned into a full on guffaw at that answer. "I'll tell you all about it over a bottle of beer."

And then the smile was gone as Dean realized the words that had slipped from his mouth. Because Cas would probably never get out of this cell, and they would never be able to share a comfortable silence under the stars together.

Cas reached a hand out to comfort Dean, his hand mere centimeters from the bars, before Gabriel called Cas's name in a quiet voice and the arm dropped again.

"Dean." Dean found he couldn't meet his angel's eyes anymore. That comforting touch was all he wanted, but the last two years had taken that from them. "Dean, look at me."

Hazel eyes raised hesitantly to meet cerulean blue.

"Dean, this isn't the end. We _will_ see each other again. One day, I will have a chance to repair our friendship. And you'll get to tell me about what I missed, including meeting Henry Winchester."

Dean huffed out a sad laugh. "Should I get a rain-check on that?"

Cas squinted at him, trying to interpret the meaning of 'rain-check' before giving up. "Is that some sort of water soaked form of payment?" The angel finally asked.

"It's a promise, Cas."

"Then, yes, you get a rain-check on that."

Dean rolled his eyes. "Maybe I should just visit every now and then, just to teach you the way of normal human speech."

Cas didn't laugh like Dean thought he would. It was silent for several seconds, while Dean's eyes flit everywhere but at Cas, before the angel broke it.

"Dean. I don't want to see you here again. Ever." It wasn't angry, like Dean had said something wrong and the angel was pissed. It was just sad. Dean snapped to meet Cas's eyes and saw mournful determination, as if the words he spoke hurt him but needed to be said. "When the time is right, I'll come find you. When I'm in control, we'll see each other again. Not before."

"What?" Dean's voice was barely a whisper. "Why?"

"Heaven's prison is one place the Winchesters should never be."

"You're kidding, right? I'm surprised we're not behind those bars with you. I mean, have you seen all the crap we've done?" Dean's voice cracked several times as he held back the tears that threatened to spill over.

Cas shook his head sadly. "When will you two realize just how beautiful your souls are? It doesn't matter which side of the bars you're on, one thing I won't allow is for this place to steal even a speck of your freedom."

"What about you?" Sam asked, and the tears really were flowing down his face. Dean felt the wetness on his own cheeks as well.

"When I'm ready, I'll be right by your sides. I promise." No water ran down the angel's cheeks, though it brimmed on the edge of the dam.

"Okay, Cas." Sam said, nodding slowly.

"Yeah. Alright. But you better get better soon man. The backseat's a little empty without our angel."

Cas smiled heartbreakingly. "Of course, Dean."

"Goodbye Cas."

"See you man."

They both made abortive efforts to clap him on the shoulder and hug him before turning down the hall and practically fleeing from the room.

* * *

Gabriel stayed behind and watched his little brother with pitying eyes. "Castiel..."

"Will you... Can I have some time alone? Please?"

Gabriel nodded and followed the Winchesters out of the cell.

Once Cas was sure the sound of Gabriel's sneakers had faded he allowed himself to fall against the wall of his cell, tears running freely down his cheeks. He slid down against it and sobbed uncontrollably, even harder than he had after being cut off from Heaven, harder than when he had thought Balthazar dead. He screamed the unfairness to the world until he finally fell to silent tears, closing his eyes and imagining he was with the Winchesters in the Impala, watching them bicker over Dean's music or some other trivial thing that brothers fight about, content to just watch them in silent companionship.

 _Fin_

* * *

 **A/N: Goddammit that was emotional to write. I would apologize for taking so long, but I think it was time well spent, so I'm not going to.**

 **I've always been kinda mad at Season 7. I thought, 'If you're going to make the most badass angel ever evil, then at least make him the main baddy of the entire season.' Honestly, I would have liked to see S7 have the first half with Godstiel as the villain, and the second half Leviathan!Cas. Alas, we can't all have what we want. This story had no Leviathan!Cas involved, but it does have the possibility with the souls still festering inside Cas.  
**

 **I also took certain liberties with Gabriel and Balthazar, assuming they both faked their own deaths because I really want them both to come back. Even though he doesn't show, Balthazar is basically Cas's therapist and shrink nowadays.**

 **I want to thank my two reviewers: bookwriter123456 and Daniella Cs (Guest) for their reviews. It's so much easier to write when I have verbal support.**

 **In reply to Daniella Cs (Guest): Thank you for your support, and I'm glad I got their personalities mostly right. That was a major concern of mine. As for having a larger story...**

 **I _do_ have an idea for a larger plot involving this same background. It would involve the war against Abbadon that is mentioned a few times in this fic, and include Cas's release and fight against the souls' control as he helps the Winchesters, Crowley and Gabriel (and all of Heaven) fight an all out war against Hell. I would need a lot of support and shoving to get it started and finished because it would be a longer fic than this one and I get distracted easily. But if you guys really want it, please tell me and give me any ideas you have for this idea.**

 **I'm serious here. I need reviews, otherwise I don't know if anyone is reading or cares to read my next one.**

 **Thank you all for following this rather depressing story. I really enjoyed writing it.**


	4. Chapter preview (control)

**A/N: Alright, I have officially begun the sequel to Sound the Bugle. Thank you to everyone who urged me onwards, including bookwriter123456, Daniella Cs, Merianon (check out their writing, amazing), and especially Redzac(guest), who got me off my ass to begin this sequel.**

 **Not sure about the title yet (suggestions welcome) but here's the tentative storyline.**

 **Abbadon is obsessed with making a Hell on Heaven and Earth. But she isn't content with killing those who oppose her. She wants them all to serve her. Determined to be queen of all, she starts kidnapping angels and righteous humans and begins to torture them in Hell in order to turn them into a loyal demon army. She is especially obsessed with turning the Winchesters into demons because of the irony- Dean, who barely escaped from that fate with the help of an angel, and Sam, the boy king of Hell. And she wants the last archangel to serve her. She declares war on Heaven, capturing all the angels possible and depositing them in Hell with nonstop torture. Then she hears about the existence of Castiel and longs for such power. She sieges Heaven's prison, and Gabriel is forced to break Castiel out or lose him to Abbadon. But Castiel hasn't learned to control the souls that threaten to overwhelm him, and the Leviathan are getting especially strategic in their methods of breaking Castiel down. Cas if fighting two wars, and no one is sure the world will survive it.**

 **Sneak Peak Down Below. Will be posted as a different story titled Control. Reviews very welcome!**

Conflict was stirring the air and disturbing the calm peace Castiel had been able to find in the quiet refuge of a relatively safe corner of his mind. For once, the disturbance was not merely the eternal war that took place inside Castiel's vessel as the Leviathan battered at his wall in strategic waves that wore him down to his last fraying nerve. No, such painful strain was familiar to Castiel and did not explain the way Cas's muscles instinctively tensed for battle or his hair stood on end. The copper tang of the air and resonant rings of war that no one could truly smell or hear was the reasons for the soldier in Castiel to brace himself for battle.

Heaven's prison was quiet, undisturbed as usual, and most of the occupants had no idea as to any problems outside the secluded area. Only a select few, the prisoners bred for conflict who had seen too many battles to not trust the instinct that told them something bad was happening just out of range of their finely tuned senses, moved about restlessly as needles pricked into their muscles in anticipation or fear.

Castiel could feel Gadreel moving restlessly a few cells over. Much like Cas, the garden's guardian was a warrior and could feel the inexplicable tension of battle. Castiel sat on the stone bench quietly and restrained himself from pacing the space of the cage like a wild animal and prowling just inches from the bars.

"Calm yourself, my friend." Castiel called out to the unseen fellow prisoner. He had only a vague idea what Gadreel looked like, seeing him only a few times before he was imprisoned immediately before Lucifer's fall.

The rustling sounds of movement ceased. "Can you sense it as well, Castiel? The call of battle?"

"The call? No. But I sense the conflict."

"What I wouldn't give to be out there." Gadreel said with a tinge of longing coloring his voice.

Cas frowned and shifted uncomfortable as the souls sent a shooting pain down his vessel's spine. "You long for freedom." Castiel guessed quietly.

"I long for redemption, brother. I only want to prove my loyalty to Heaven. But what chance do I have for that in this cell?"

"Redemption." Cas muttered the word to himself, trying it out on his tongue and leaving a sour taste.

Gadreel paused. It seemed like he could sense Castiel's distaste at the word in the air. "Would you not rather have redemption than punishment, Castiel?"

There was a long silence when Cas wasn't sure if he could find an answer. Finally, "...it's an interesting concept."

"You don't believe it's possible." Disappointment painted Gadreel's tone like the blood of several humans had coated Castiel only a year prior-

Cas shook himself out of that thought process before he could fall too deeply into the hole. Thinking like that was what weakened the wall and let the souls in. Still, Gadreel was waiting for confirmation, and Castiel felt obligated to oblige. "Some acts are too unspeakable for forgiveness."

Gadreel didn't reply. It took Castiel longer than it should have for him to realize the reason for the defeated air Gadreel gave off.

"Gadreel, I was not speaking of you." Cas rushed to explain. "It is myself I cannot conceive of forgiveness for."

"You are a good angel Castiel. If anyone deserves it... it is you."

Castiel was shaking his head desperately even though the other angel couldn't see him. Before he could say anything however, a gut-wrenching scream cut off any words brewing in his throat. Suddenly, the conflict they had sensed wasn't so far away, and sounds of battle echoed in the long white hallways. The other prisoners began to stir from their own minds. Some wrapped hands around the bars of their cells and attempted to force them open as if the metal and magic enforcing them would suddenly become weaker in the wake of this new development. Castiel rose and got as close to the bars as he could without touching them.

"That was an angel's death cry." Castiel said. Though he couldn't see him, Cas was sure that Gadreel was nodding in agreement.

"They are coming." Gadreel noted as the sound of ringing footsteps grew closer.


End file.
